FTX Trading Ltd. (“FTX.COM”) and West Realm Shires Services Inc. (“FTX US”), the owners and operators of FTX.COM and FTX US respectively (collectively “FTX”), today announced a long-term partnership with global icon and history-making MLB Superstar Shohei Ohtani. In addition to being an FTX global ambassador, Mr. Ohtani will receive all of his compensation in equity and cryptocurrencies, illustrating his strong belief in both FTX and the crypto industry.
As part of the long-term relationship, Mr. Ohtani will serve as a spokesperson for FTX to further elevate the FTX brand, increasing awareness of the company’s platform and digital assets in general on a global scale through a variety of initiatives. One such initiative is that FTX has committed to making an annual contribution on Mr. Ohtani’s behalf to various charities.
Sam Bankman-Fried, Founder and CEO of FTX, welcomed the partnership with Mr. Ohtani, “As a company that is revolutionizing the digital asset ecosystem and greater financial landscape, we are continuously looking for partners that share our commitment to being a leader in their respective space. Shohei has become a transcendent player in baseball in just a short period of time and this, combined with his support of digital assets, made it an easy choice to enter into a partnership with him. Off the field, Shohei has a passion for bettering the global community, something both he and FTX share, and we’re excited to partner with Shohei on various charitable initiatives, particularly with a focus on helping animals.”
During the 2021 Major League Baseball season, Mr. Ohtani was the league leader in “Moonblasts” – home runs that traveled 425 feet or further – with 20 such Moonblasts. This postseason, FTX donated $10,000 for every MLB Postseason Moonblast, with the total rising to $100,000 per Moonblast in the World Series. At the culmination of the Postseason, FTX had committed a total of $550,000 for the 19 Moonblasts slugged during the most exciting portion of the MLB season.
In 2021, Mr. Ohtani became the first player in the history of Major League Baseball to be an All-Star as both a pitcher and a hitter in the 88-year history of the Midsummer Classic. He was also a starter in both capacities in the All-Star Game, as the American League’s manager-selected starting pitcher (who earned the win) and fan-elected starting designated hitter (who was also the leadoff hitter). This historic All-Star performance came less than 24 hours after he became the first pitcher to participate in the Home Run Derby in its 36 years of existence.
This incredible performance on the field led the Commissioner of Baseball, Robert D. Manfred, Jr., to recognize Mr. Ohtani with the Commissioner’s Historic Achievement Award – an award created in 1998 to recognize accomplishments and contributions of historical significance to baseball. Mr. Ohtani is only the 16th recipient of this award and the first since 2014.
FTX is also the Official Crypto Exchange Partner of Major League Baseball and MLB Players, Inc.
About FTX.COM
FTX.COM is a cryptocurrency exchange built by traders, for traders. It offers innovative products, including industry-leading derivatives, options and volatility products, tokenized stocks, prediction markets, leveraged tokens and an OTC desk. FTX.COM strives to be an intuitive yet powerful platform for all kinds of users, and to be the most innovative exchange in the industry. FTX.COM has grown quickly since its founding, becoming one of the most respected cryptocurrency exchanges in the world in 2 years.
